[dblwyr]

Our neighbor is installing a pool, and will be asking for access to their rear yard alongside our house. Looking for any advice or words of wisdom for anyone who has been through this? We are told we will be asked to ‘sign’ something. Of course we will read it carefully, but the experience of others might be instructive. Thanks in advance.

[retiredguy123]

I would be concerned about the location and noise level of the pool pump equipment. They usually install it on the garage side of the house near the next door neighbor's master bedroom, with no sound barrier.

[Stu from NYC]

Would also make sure that any damage to your property will be paid for by your neighbor

[JSR22]

We put in a pool and needed to have equipment go through the side yard to access our backyard. The equipment did have contacts with our neighbor's 'lawn. W easked them if it would be okay and that any damage to their sod we would replace. They agreed and it worked out fine. The pool filters run about 7.5 hours a day. Comes on 10 AM and shuts off befor 6 PM. We have large philodendrons that surround the equipment. My equipment is not on the garage side.

[villagetinker]

Take pictures of the lawn, garden, etc now before any construction, and make sure any documents that they want you to sign do not remove them from restoring your property. I am not sure I would sign any papers.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by dblwyr

Our neighbor is installing a pool, and will be asking for access to their rear yard alongside our house. Looking for any advice or words of wisdom for anyone who has been through this? We are told we will be asked to ‘sign’ something. Of course we will read it carefully, but the experience of others might be instructive. Thanks in advance.

We just granted permission to our neighbor. I know they will tear up the grass and then they will fix it.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Take pictures of the lawn, garden, etc now before any construction, and make sure any documents that they want you to sign do not remove them from restoring your property. I am not sure I would sign any papers.

I agree. Your neighbor and the contractor should sign papers, but, why should you sign them? Technically, it's not a contract unless you receive some type of legal consideration.

[Kahuna32162]

I's be worried about heavy equipment running over my sprinkler lines.

[villagetinker]

When my neighbor had some work done the company laid down plywood, about 200 feet to get from the front of the house to the back. This protected both lawns, and the sprinkler systems. After thinking about this some more, if the neighbor insists on some document to be signed, I would counter with your own document essentially stating they will be responsible for any and all damage caused during the construction period.

[tophcfa]

If T&D is doing the install I can state from experience that they will make the area look at least as good as before the job. I don’t have experience with other pool contractors?

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

Take pictures of the lawn, garden, etc now before any construction, and make sure any documents that they want you to sign do not remove them from restoring your property. I am not sure I would sign any papers.

Sound advice, do not sign anything, too late for us so don't know how much it would cost YOU to have an attorney have papers for those wishing to use your property sign. If they won't sign, no access. This has nothing to do with being a good friend, neighbor, or person ! We signed, naive, wanted to be good neighbors of course. Friends with neighbors and when they said sign this, if anything happens of course we will pay for it (they thought sod, bush, some flowers), but what happened is the big equipment broke not only pipes in the ground for sprinkler system, but also the main system that allows us to have water in our home. HUGE geyser went on for hours until the villages could be contacted and the okay granted, it was horrible, if I posted the water bill alone it would startle. Of course the neighbors could/would not pay for all the outcome of this. We were without any water for two nights, and people who actually broke all this said they would definitely not going to pay, that there simply should have been a much thicker layer of earth covering the water pipes anyway, and that it was done "wrong" by the villages when the homes were built. A night mare, of course we had to pay, there is no option, it is very distressing because the pool people had endless time and money to fight this and we had to have water to live. Only one thing came out of that, NEVER SIGN ANYTHING NEVER, but, if you can get it done for a small amount, the ones who need to sign for responsibility are your NEIGHBOR (might be the greatest friends you've met here but not when this happens) and also have ANY of the many different construction people that will be working (many are subcontractors and the main pool person just steps aside of any responsibility) each and every one sign. The changes are your insurance would not pay (ours would not but you may have differences) and the stress and expense and time out of your life are not worth the simple act of saying "no", but if you want to sign our waiver and terms of paying any damage, we would like you and every sub contractor to sign our "papers"... don't do it, don't do it is all I can say. most will ignore that, we did, thinking "well..... probably nothing will happen" !

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I agree. Your neighbor and the contractor should sign papers, but, why should you sign them? Technically, it's not a contract unless you receive some type of legal consideration.

You are so so SO correct. YOU don't need to sign a thing, but the neighbors, the contractor, and EVERY subcontractor who is going to use one piece of heavy equipment where the ground might sink down and break pipes. It is is you who need to be on top of this (as we were NOT), or your life could turn into a nightmare and you will have done nothing but be a good and kind neighbor.

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

Would also make sure that any damage to your property will be paid for by your neighbor

Get it IN WRITING from neighbor and all contractors, you are not the one who should sign any paper, they need to sign all the papers and if you can afford a small fee, have an attorney make sure they can't "pass the buck" so to speak to some uninsured sub contractor.

[Two Bills]

I would sign nothing. Sounds like they are trying for a disclaimer if anything goes wrong.
After reading the other posters experience, I would insist on a signed and witnessed document stating any damage incurred will be put right at their expense, and if they refuse, tell them to find another access.
Lots of people seem nice and reasonable, until asked to get out their wallet and divy up!

[banjobob]

Be prepared for mud ,gravel and noise on your sidewalk, make sure who is to restore it as it was after the job is done. A neighbor had the same situation.